Putter face groove pattern for improved feel, accuracy and distance control

ABSTRACT

A golf putter ball striking face with a geometrically spaced groove pattern that gives the golfer improved feel, accuracy and distance control. This invention also relates to golf swing training, specifically to an apparatus that aids in learning and improving the alignment and swing for the putter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/998,344 Oct. 10, 2007 by the present inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to golf club putters, specifically to an improvedputter ball striking face.

2. Prior Art

The present invention relates to golf putters and in particular toputters with improved ball striking face configurations.

It is well known that a golf ball tends to skid a considerable distanceacross a putting green surface after being struck by a planar ballstriking face of a putter before it begins to roll. Various ballstriking face surfaces, many with face inserts made of differentmaterials, have been developed to improve the how quickly a golf ballrolls off a putter face after being struck.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,994 to Antonious uses a series ofgeometric shapes distributed across the face of a putter to increaseroll.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,616 to Rife uses a series of horizontal, V-shapedgrooves with truncated outer ball gripping edges to grip a ball as itleaves the striking face to increase roll.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,044 to Swash shows a golf putter having a ballstriking face with a plurality of concentric grooves.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,641 to Miesch, et al. shows a putter face made of anarray of pyramids to increase friction between the golf ball and putterface.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D 411,275 to Bottema et al. shows a putter facewith an array of cylindrical projections.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D 415,809 to Bottema et al. shows a putter facewith an array of cubed shaped projections.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D 57,980 to Kraeueter shows a putter face with anarray of diamond shaped projections.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,434 to Baker et al. shows a putter face with anarray of truncated, pyramid shaped projections.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,342 to Drake both show a putter face with uniformlyspaced vertical grooves.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D 335,694 to Stuff et al. Shows a putter face withslanted grooves.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D 63,284 to Challis shows a putter face with anarray of square projections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a putter ball striking faceconfiguration which uses vertical grooves with combinations of variouswidths, spacing and depths.

It is well known that horizontal or angular grooves of certain spacingto width ratios can produce a cushioning effect at impact and alsoprovide increased traction between the putter face and the golf ball,resulting in optimum tracking accuracy from the initial ball contact andgreater increased resistance to adverse lateral movements or reactionswhich can occur when off center ball contact occurs. Testing of thisinvention has shown the same is true for vertical grooves. Thus when agolf ball is struck by the ball striking face configuration of thepresent invention, there is a greater ball resistance to such things asgrain (direction of grass growth), minor surface imperfections on theputting green, and other impediments such as top dressing, grasscuttings or other particles sometimes found on putting green surfaces.

As a ball is struck further away from the center of the putter face,known as the sweet spot, the hit is not as solid. This less solid hitreduces the distance the ball will roll compared with a hit on thecenter of the putter face. In the present invention by geometricallyvarying the spacing between the vertical grooves, the cushioning effectcreated by the initial groove spacing can be reduced to off set theeffect of the less solid hit. Since golfers, especially non-professionalones, rarely strike their putts exactly on the center of the putterface, such a compensating effect will help golfers to achieve a moreconstant roll and better distance control with their putter.

Because of the increased top traction applied to golf balls when theyare struck by the geometrically spaced vertical grooves of thisinvention, the behavior of the balls is altered considerably. The ballsbegin to roll immediately with additional traction and axis spinresulting in the ball rolling over obstacles instead of easily beingdeflected. Furthermore, the raised portion between the grooves of thepresent invention produce enhanced, positive traction between the putterface and the golf ball whereby the ball quickly reacts and adheres tothe club face for a slightly longer time than it would with a normalflat ball striking surface of conventional type putter faces. Thetendency for the ball not to jump off of the club face is particularlyuseful in putting downhill putts or on extremely fast greens wherecontrolling the ball speed is of primary importance. The presentinvention maximizes this benefit by varying the cushioning effect acrossthe striking area of the putter face.

The geometrically spaced vertical grooves of the present inventioncreate isolated land areas where the ball contact occurs. This improvedstructure not only produces dramatically more cushion but permitsoptimum transfer of energy to the precise point of ball contact on theputter face.

Geometrically spacing the grooves allows the cushioning effect to bevaried across the face of the putter to compensate for non-centeredstrikes on the putter face. Closely spaced grooves across the center ofthe putter face that progressively becoming wider spaced give the mostcushioning in the center of the face and less cushioning as the contactdistance from the center increases.

Because less area of the ball is contacted by the vertical land areas,the transmitted energy is more focused directly to the precise ballsurface contact point rather than being dissipated across a largerplanar striking face surface like that of traditional putter faces. And,by varying the width of the land areas by varying the groove spacingand/or groove width, the off center hit transmitted energy is improvedto the golfers advantage rather than falling off as with other faceconfigurations.

The present invention incorporates free standing, vertical rectangularprojections on the ball striking face which are totally isolated,individually separated from each other. The free standing projectionshave planar land surface areas which permit only minimal contact of theputter face to a golf ball during a putting stroke thus concentratingthe force at a precise point of contact between the ball and club face.This minimizes any diminishing effect or energy loss of the impact forcewhich can dissipate away from the golf ball, thereby allowing moreenergy to be instantly available for transmission directly to the ballat the precise point of contact on the putter face.

The vertical lands that contact the ball also act like small tracks toguide the ball on a very accurate forward roll as it leaves the clubface.

Further, the unusual concepts of this invention increase the ball'stracking accuracy and responsiveness across a wider area of the putterface thereby giving the average golfer more margin for error.

These unusual concepts also produce a significant and impressive amountof “softer”-type built-in cushioning which decreases across the facetoward the heel and toe as the impact departs from center. Thisvariation in cushioning compensates for the off center hit to promote amore constant feel and improved distance control.

Having this improved, more consistent feel, putter faces with thisinvention permit golfers to stroke their putts with more authorityknowing that the ball will not roll excessively beyond the intendedhole. Also, golfers knowing their golf balls will not roll and roll,uncontrollably far beyond their intended putting hole, quickly developincreased confidence and assurance when confronting fast downhill puttsor playing on unusually fast greens.

Quite often, some putts with visible “breaks” require the ball to bestroked on a target line away from the intended cup in order to allowfor the ball to curve back toward the hole. All golfers dread thissituation.

However, the more constant gripping action (roll) of this invention isso effective and compelling that golfers can more boldly stroke theirgolf balls more directly to the hole, or with much less allowance forthe normal “break” needed with putters having uniformly spaced groves,dimples, patterns or combinations thereof or planar faces.

The following significant advantages which lead to increased enjoymentof the game of golf through more efficient putting and putting stroketraining, with/or without an instructor and/or with individual practice,are provided by my invention:

-   -   1) Putting feel is more consistent because the effective sweet        spot has been increased due to the variable cushioning across        the face of the putter.    -   2) Distance control is more consistent because the effective        sweet spot has been increased due to the variable cushioning        across the face of the putter.    -   3) Roll efficiency is improved due to the better “gripping” of        the ball by the vertical lands between the geometrically spaced        grooves.    -   4) Roll accuracy is improved due to the track guiding effect of        the raised land areas between the geometrically spaced grooves.    -   5) Putter construction can utilize a wider range of materials to        minimize costs since the feel “cushioning” effect can be varied        over a wide range to accommodate harder or softer materials of        construction.    -   6) Putter face applique plates or removable face inserts can be        configured with varying degrees of cushioning to allow golfer        adjustment to different playing conditions, such as, speed of        the greens.    -   7) For training purposes, a putter can be made most firm in the        center and most soft (maximum cushioning) towards the heel and        toe of the face. This would give the golfer a noticeable change        in feel for “off center” hits due to the magnified fall off in        hardness away from the center of the putter face.

DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a detailed top view of a typical embodiment of the presentinvention apparatus.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed front view of a typical embodiment of thepresent invention apparatus.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

-   10 Putter face front planar area-   20 Vertical grooves-   30 Most narrow vertical land between grooves-   40 Most wide vertical land between groove

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention an apparatus uses geometricallyspaced vertical grooves of fixed or varying widths on a putter face forthe purposes of achieving a putter with more consistent feel, moreconsistent distance control, more forgiveness on off center hits,improved roll (less skidding) and more accurate roll.

DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1 and 2

A typical embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1Putter Head Top detailed view and FIG. 2 Putter Head Face front detailedview.

In the detailed views of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, one example of thegeometrically spaced vertical grooves of the invention is shown. Thearea of the face with grooves may vary from about 40% of the face widthup to essentially 100% of the face width. The height of the verticalgrooves can vary from 50% to 100% of the height of the putter face.Areas without grooves will appear plain as shown in putter face area 10.The width of the vertical grooves 20, and the width of the verticallands 30 (ungrooved areas) between the vertical grooves 20 and theactual depth and shape of the vertical grooves 20 must meet specificrequirements in order for the putter to conform with USGA Rules of golf.In the embodiment shown, the most narrow vertical lands 30 are in themiddle of the putter face and progressively become wider until themaximum vertical land 40 width occurs at the outer limits of thegrooves.

In the example shown, at the most narrow vertical lands 30, the land togroove width ratio is approximately 50% increasing to approximately 75%at the most wide vertical lands 40. Thus the most cushioning is achievedin the center of the putter face and less cushioning is achieved as thedistance is increased away from the center of the putter face.

The vertical grooves 20 length can extend from the top to the bottom ofthe putter face and extend from the heel to the toe of the putter face.Or they may cover less than the entire area.

The actual fabrication process to produce the grooves can be whatever ismost cost effective within the tolerances necessary to hold to USGARules.

OPERATION Preferred Embodiment—FIGS. 1,2

The manner of using the present invention is on the ball striking faceof a golf putter. It can be machined into the face area, molded into theface area, installed as an insert into the face area or applied as anapplique plate to the face area.

Method of attachment of an applique or insert can be epoxy, screws orany other USGA compliant method.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the reader will see that the Putter Face Groove Pattern ofthis invention provides improvements in feel and distance control forgolfers when using golf putters.

The design allows the golfer to improve their putting through moreconsistent distance control, and more accurate and more effective roll.

The present invention apparatus is useful for initial learning, forpractice to continuously improve and for playing.

Although, the description above contains much specificity, these shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merelyproviding an illustration of the presently preferred embodiment of thisinvention. For example, the vertical grooves do not have to be the sameheight.

The putter can have any face area that facilitates adding the groovepattern of the invention. The putter face groove pattern apparatus ofthe present invention can be used on putters for right or left handswinging golfers of any age, gender or degree of golf experience. Thepattern can be embedded, attached or built-in to whatever degreenecessary.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appendedclaims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

1) A golf putter ball striking face comprising a planar area constructedwith vertical grooves of constant width spaced in a geometric manneracross at least 40% of the width from heel to toe across the putterface. Groove length to be at least 50% of the height from top to bottomof the putter face. 2) A golf putter ball striking face in accordancewith claim 1 wherein the vertical grooves are of geometrically varyingwidths spaced in a geometric manner across at least 40% of the area fromheel to toe across the putter face, Groove length to be at least 50% ofthe height from top to bottom of the putter face. 3) A golf putter ballstriking face in accordance with claim 1 wherein the vertical groovesare of geometrically varying widths and the grooves are spaced aconstant distance apart across at least 40% of the area from heel to toeacross the putter face. Groove length to be at least 50% of the heightfrom top to bottom of the putter face.